CA2490011A1 - Fuel cell with separator having a ridge member - Google Patents

Fuel cell with separator having a ridge member Download PDF

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Publication number
CA2490011A1
CA2490011A1 CA002490011A CA2490011A CA2490011A1 CA 2490011 A1 CA2490011 A1 CA 2490011A1 CA 002490011 A CA002490011 A CA 002490011A CA 2490011 A CA2490011 A CA 2490011A CA 2490011 A1 CA2490011 A1 CA 2490011A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
coolant
passage
power generation
generation cells
fuel cell
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
CA002490011A
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
CA2490011C (en
Inventor
Seiji Sugiura
Shuhei Goto
Narutoshi Sugita
Hiroyuki Tanaka
Tadashi Nishiyama
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Honda Motor Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Honda Motor Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Honda Motor Co Ltd filed Critical Honda Motor Co Ltd
Publication of CA2490011A1 publication Critical patent/CA2490011A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA2490011C publication Critical patent/CA2490011C/en
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/02—Details
    • H01M8/0202—Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors
    • H01M8/0258—Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors characterised by the configuration of channels, e.g. by the flow field of the reactant or coolant
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/02—Details
    • H01M8/0202—Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors
    • H01M8/0258—Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors characterised by the configuration of channels, e.g. by the flow field of the reactant or coolant
    • H01M8/026—Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors characterised by the configuration of channels, e.g. by the flow field of the reactant or coolant characterised by grooves, e.g. their pitch or depth
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/02—Details
    • H01M8/0202—Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors
    • H01M8/0267—Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors having heating or cooling means, e.g. heaters or coolant flow channels
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/02—Details
    • H01M8/0271—Sealing or supporting means around electrodes, matrices or membranes
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
    • H01M8/04007—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids related to heat exchange
    • H01M8/04067—Heat exchange or temperature measuring elements, thermal insulation, e.g. heat pipes, heat pumps, fins
    • H01M8/04074—Heat exchange unit structures specially adapted for fuel cell
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/24—Grouping of fuel cells, e.g. stacking of fuel cells
    • H01M8/241—Grouping of fuel cells, e.g. stacking of fuel cells with solid or matrix-supported electrolytes
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/24—Grouping of fuel cells, e.g. stacking of fuel cells
    • H01M8/2457—Grouping of fuel cells, e.g. stacking of fuel cells with both reactants being gaseous or vaporised
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/24—Grouping of fuel cells, e.g. stacking of fuel cells
    • H01M8/2465—Details of groupings of fuel cells
    • H01M8/2483—Details of groupings of fuel cells characterised by internal manifolds
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/02—Details
    • H01M8/0202—Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors
    • H01M8/0204—Non-porous and characterised by the material
    • H01M8/0206—Metals or alloys
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/02—Details
    • H01M8/0202—Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors
    • H01M8/0247—Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors characterised by the form
    • H01M8/0254—Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors characterised by the form corrugated or undulated
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/02—Details
    • H01M8/0202—Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors
    • H01M8/0258—Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors characterised by the configuration of channels, e.g. by the flow field of the reactant or coolant
    • H01M8/0263—Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors characterised by the configuration of channels, e.g. by the flow field of the reactant or coolant having meandering or serpentine paths
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
    • H01M8/04007—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids related to heat exchange
    • H01M8/04029—Heat exchange using liquids
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E60/00—Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
    • Y02E60/30—Hydrogen technology
    • Y02E60/50—Fuel cells

Landscapes

  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Sustainable Development (AREA)
  • Sustainable Energy (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Electrochemistry (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Fuel Cell (AREA)

Abstract

A power generation cell includes a membrane electrode assembly and first and second metal separators sandwiching the membrane electrode assembly. Ridge members are formed integrally on the second metal separator, and these ridge members contact a first seal member of the first metal separator under pressure to form an inlet connection channel and an outlet connection channel. The coolant supply passage and the coolant flow field are connected through the inlet connection channel and the coolant discharge passage and the coolant flow field are connected through the outlet connection channel.

Claims (6)

1. A fuel cell formed by stacking a plurality of power generation cells in a stacking direction, said power generation cells each including a membrane electrode assembly and a pair of metal separators sandwiching said membrane electrode assembly, said membrane electrode assembly including a pair of electrodes and an electrolyte membrane interposed between said electrodes, wherein a reactant gas passage and a coolant passage extend through said power generation cells in a stacking direction, and a coolant flow field for supplying a coolant is formed between metal separators of adjacent power generation cells, and wherein at least one of said metal separators has a ridge member formed integrally on a surface opposite to said membrane electrode assembly, and said ridge member forms a connection channel connecting said coolant flow field and said coolant passage.
2. A fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein said connection channel is formed between said ridge member and a planar seal member formed integrally on said metal separator facing said at least one of said metal separators.
3. A fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein said at least one of metal separators includes a seal member on a surface opposite to said ridge member for preventing leakage in said membrane electrode assembly; and part of said ridge member forming said connection channel is overlapped with at least part of said seal member in the stacking direction.
4. A fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein a seal member is formed integrally on said at least one of metal separators around said coolant flow field; and said ridge member forms part of said seal member.
5. A fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein said power generation cells are stacked in a horizontal direction;
said reactant gas passage comprises a fuel gas supply passage, an oxygen-containing gas supply passage, a fuel gas discharge passage, and an oxygen-containing gas discharge passage;
said coolant passage comprises a coolant supply passage and a coolant discharge passage; and among six passages comprising said fuel gas supply passage, said oxygen-containing gas supply passage, said coolant supply passage, said fuel gas discharge passage, said oxygen-containing gas discharge passage, and said coolant discharge passage, three passages extend through a left end of said power generation cells, the other three passages extend through a right end of said power generation cells, and said coolant supply passage and said coolant discharge passage extend through middle portions of the opposite left and right ends of said power generation cells.
6. A fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein said connection channel includes a plurality of bifurcated grooves bifurcated at least in two directions between said coolant passage and said coolant flow field.
CA2490011A 2003-12-22 2004-12-09 Fuel cell with separator having a ridge member Expired - Fee Related CA2490011C (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP2003-425309 2003-12-22
JP2003425309A JP4081432B2 (en) 2003-12-22 2003-12-22 Fuel cell

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2490011A1 true CA2490011A1 (en) 2005-06-22
CA2490011C CA2490011C (en) 2012-02-28

Family

ID=34675422

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA2490011A Expired - Fee Related CA2490011C (en) 2003-12-22 2004-12-09 Fuel cell with separator having a ridge member

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US7846613B2 (en)
JP (1) JP4081432B2 (en)
CN (1) CN1311580C (en)
CA (1) CA2490011C (en)
DE (1) DE102004058730B4 (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7824817B2 (en) 2006-11-09 2010-11-02 Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Fuel cell

Families Citing this family (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP4189345B2 (en) * 2004-03-24 2008-12-03 本田技研工業株式会社 Fuel cell
JP4835001B2 (en) * 2005-02-03 2011-12-14 株式会社デンソー Fuel cell system
FR2887688B1 (en) * 2005-06-28 2007-09-14 Peugeot Citroen Automobiles Sa BIPOLAR PLATE FOR FUEL CELL COMPRISING SEAL RIBS
JP4958059B2 (en) * 2005-06-30 2012-06-20 株式会社Ｇｓユアサ Hydrogen production equipment
DE102005057045B4 (en) * 2005-11-30 2015-06-03 Daimler Ag Bipolar plate and its use in a fuel cell unit
JP5197995B2 (en) * 2007-05-24 2013-05-15 本田技研工業株式会社 Fuel cell
DK176814B1 (en) * 2007-07-18 2009-10-19 Serenergy As Fuel cell bipolar plate comprising a by-passed twisted flow channel for oxidizing gas; fuel cell heat sink comprising a by-passed twisted channel for cooling gas; fuel cell comprising said plates and their use.
JP5208059B2 (en) 2009-06-25 2013-06-12 本田技研工業株式会社 Fuel cell
WO2012039005A1 (en) * 2010-09-22 2012-03-29 トヨタ自動車株式会社 Fuel cell stack
US8802326B2 (en) 2010-11-23 2014-08-12 GM Global Technology Operations LLC Fuel cell separator plate
EP2639868A1 (en) 2012-03-13 2013-09-18 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Bipolar plate and electrochemical cell with such a bipolar plate
JP5584731B2 (en) * 2012-05-25 2014-09-03 本田技研工業株式会社 Fuel cell
CN104584303B (en) * 2012-06-26 2018-02-02 瑞典电池公司 Flow-field plate for fuel cell
GB2515553B (en) * 2013-06-28 2021-04-21 Intelligent Energy Ltd Coolant purification

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DE4234093A1 (en) * 1992-10-09 1994-04-14 Siemens Ag Component for installation in a process engineering facility
JPH08222237A (en) 1995-02-14 1996-08-30 Aisin Aw Co Ltd Separator for fuel cell
EP1009051A2 (en) * 1998-12-08 2000-06-14 General Motors Corporation Liquid cooled bipolar plate consisting of glued plates for PEM fuel cells
US6322919B1 (en) 1999-08-16 2001-11-27 Alliedsignal Inc. Fuel cell and bipolar plate for use with same
JP4277387B2 (en) 1999-10-08 2009-06-10 トヨタ自動車株式会社 Fuel cell cooling plate
DE10015360B4 (en) * 2000-03-28 2006-11-23 Ballard Power Systems Inc., Burnaby Separator unit for electrolysis cells and fuel cells
JP2002083610A (en) 2000-06-22 2002-03-22 Mitsubishi Electric Corp Solid polymer type fuel cell and its separator
JP2002075395A (en) 2000-08-24 2002-03-15 Toyota Motor Corp Separator for fuel cell and solid polymer fuel cell using it
JP3571696B2 (en) * 2001-01-30 2004-09-29 本田技研工業株式会社 Fuel cell and fuel cell stack
JP3830766B2 (en) * 2001-03-09 2006-10-11 本田技研工業株式会社 Fuel cell and fuel cell stack
JP4000248B2 (en) 2001-06-08 2007-10-31 本田技研工業株式会社 FUEL CELL STACK AND METHOD OF PRESSURE AND HOLDING THE SAME
JP3830805B2 (en) * 2001-11-07 2006-10-11 本田技研工業株式会社 Fuel cell
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* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7824817B2 (en) 2006-11-09 2010-11-02 Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Fuel cell

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CN1311580C (en) 2007-04-18
JP2005183304A (en) 2005-07-07
DE102004058730B4 (en) 2013-12-05
CN1638178A (en) 2005-07-13
CA2490011C (en) 2012-02-28
JP4081432B2 (en) 2008-04-23
US20050136306A1 (en) 2005-06-23
US7846613B2 (en) 2010-12-07
DE102004058730A1 (en) 2005-07-28

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Effective date: 20210831

MKLA Lapsed

Effective date: 20191209